Film/Animation/Video Courses
FAV 5119-01
DIRECTING PERFORMANCE
SECTION DESCRIPTION
In the Directing class, the ongoing focus throughout the semester is an exploration of the methods of communication between directors and actors. Students are encouraged to go beyond the first instinct or idea, and to develop a project to its fullest potential, particularly with respect to meaning and to potential modes of execution. Students work on a variety of scenes throughout the semester, complete several short assignments during and outside of class, and read handouts and excerpts from texts. Students direct: (1) each other, (2) young actors from the Carriage House School, (3) professional actors from the community (brought in for two classes), and (4) actors of their choosing for final projects. As they direct rehearsals, students utilize a variety of specific tools that enable them to maximize the creativity and fertility of their relationships with actors, and to make adjustments in performances quickly and effectively. The latter third of the semester also focuses on techniques for script analysis. These are used to discover the range of creative possibilities in a given text, and to thoroughly prepare and organize directors for rehearsals and shoots. An ongoing, general goal of the course is also for each student to reflect upon and identify their personal themes as a director.
Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Elective
FAV 5123-01
CHARACTER DESIGN
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course is a study of the theories and methods of character design as applied to narrative forms. This class asks students to push beyond stereotypical designs to develop two-dimensional characters that are both personally and culturally resonant and imaginative. Particular emphasis is placed on the expressive power of abstract forms and color. Through exploring individual perceptions of good and evil, success and failure, as well as beauty and ugliness, students create characters that are highly original. Research, thorough craftsmanship, and sophisticated design are stressed.
Elective
FAV 5125-01
FILM & VIDEO INSTALLATION
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This studio investigates monitor and projector based installation through critical readings and studio practice. Emphasis is placed on concerns of material, site, space and interactivity. The course revisits the television monitor and television viewing context as the original video installation site. Students also explore the projector and projection beam, including its shape and volume, capacity to serve as a pure light source and as a means of resurfacing three-dimensional objects. Active installation artists visit the class for lectures and critiques.
Estimated Materials Cost: $150.00 Deposit: $150.00
Elective
FAV 5131-01
DIGITAL EFFECTS AND COMPOSITING FOR THE SCREEN
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This class uses Adobe After Effects as a tool to achieve the students' individual goals as artists. Starting with the basics of creating imagery in After Effects, the course moves through compositing, special effects, puppet animation and time manipulation. There is an overarching focus on core concepts such as quality of motion, layout and composition, color and form that surpass this single class. The first 6 weeks contain homework assignments that allow the students to grasp individual components of this highly technical toolset, while during the second 6 weeks the students concentrate on a final project. This project stresses the students' knowledge and forces them to grow as a digital animator as they find unique problems and solve them with instructor supervision.
Elective
FAV 5152-01
ADVANCED STOP MOTION ANIMATION
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Building on skills learned in the Intro Stop-motion Animation class, students will develop and produce one short stop-motion animation for professional portfolio and public screening. This course will provide students the opportunity to focus on particular issues of stop-motion animation and explore more advanced production techniques and processes. The course emphasizes art direction and project development. Students are encouraged to experiment with individual style and techniques of armature and set building, lighting, special effects and camera techniques. Weekly exercises are designed to strengthen students' conceptual and animation skills. In addition, a wide range of short films are screened to provide creative stimulus and demonstrate a variety of aesthetic and technical approaches.
Estimated Materials Cost: $300.00
Elective
FAV 5193-01
SENIOR STUDIO: OPEN MEDIA
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This path, within the senior studio options, allows for the exploration of a broad range of hybrid practices. Through the structural support of this year-long studio, students will produce a project that synthesizes their understanding of and aspirations for media art practice. Works produced use media as their point of departure, but may take a variety of forms including performance, installation, public art, intervention, networked/collaborative production, print publication, activism, etc. The course prepares students to work with depth in their use of media and as contemporary artists in a complex art world, in which media is often only one component in a larger project. Students receive weekly individual guidance from the instructor and peers, as well as two critiques by prominent working artists or related practitioners. During the spring semester, each student explores the notion of distribution intensively, resulting in the crafting of individualized forms of presentation. Each student also develops a portfolio of their work, focused on communicating their core interests to a defined group. Class meetings are devoted to presentations of related artists works, individual meetings and group critique. Fall semester includes field trips to events in the NY/New England area.
Estimated Materials Cost: Varies considerably with production design. Deposit: $150.00
Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Major Requirement | BFA Film/Animation/Video | Open Media
FAV 5195-01
*SENIOR STUDIO: ANIMATION
SECTION DESCRIPTION
During the senior year, students synthesize and apply what they have learned in their previous studies to the creation of a year-long project. Students develop, design, animate, direct, and produce these projects independently. Students receive weekly individual guidance from instructors and two critiques by established professionals from the world animation community. Class meetings are devoted to film screenings, group critique, and specialized technical workshops.
Estimated Materials Cost: Varies considerably with production design; average $1,000.00 to $3,000.00 Deposit: $150.00
Fall semester includes a one-week field trip to the Ottawa International Animation Festival in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Majors are pre-registered by the Department Coordinator during the pre-registration period in the Spring semester preceding the senior year. Students make full payment via Slate. Payments can be made at any time once registration begins in May. Payment must be completed by September 1.
Estimated Travel Cost: $700 - $1,000
Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Major Requirement | BFA Film/Animation/Video | Animation
FAV 5197-01
SENIOR STUDIO: LIVE ACTION
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This is a year-long course of study, for which the student will complete a 10-20 minute live action work to final professional screening format. Students are free to choose genres and formats in which they want to work. Students have weekly meetings for screenings, guests, and technical workshops, and weekly small-group meetings to discuss their works-in-progress. Fall semester covers pre-production work on narrative projects: developing of scenarios, location scouting, budgets, initial camera tests or initial shooting of non-fiction projects. Visiting consultants come in to instruct in sound recording and cinematography, and guest critics come in November to review project proposals and/or footage.
Estimated Materials Cost: $2,000. Deposit: $150.00
Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Major Requirement | BFA Film/Animation/Video | Live Action
FAV 5291-01 / IDISC 5291-01
MEETING POINTS: OPEN MEDIA
SECTION DESCRIPTION
In this interdisciplinary critique-based class, advanced students take a rigorous look at the various ways time-based imagery functions in their work. With an emphasis on post-cinema, research- based, site-dependent, and performative practices, students in Meeting Points: Open Media examine their studio projects in-depth, through group critiques, a close analysis of critical concepts, and working with focus and discipline in their medium of choice. This course is required for FAV seniors in Open Media and is well-positioned to be a critical support for senior and graduate students looking for additional insight into the development and refinement of their work in the area of cross-disciplinary media art practice. Course work includes research, readings, critique sessions, group discussions, and visiting artist lectures. Fall semester includes a recommended field trip to a relevant exhibition or performance, and visits by related working artists and curators. Spring semester includes an emphasis on curatorial exhibition strategies, a recommended field trip to a relevant exhibition or performance, and visits by related working artists and curators.
Offered as FAV-5291 and IDISC-5291
Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Major Requirement | BFA Film/Animation/Video | Open Media
LAEL 1054-01
TIME, LIGHT AND SOUND
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course is designed as an introduction to the 113-year history of the projected moving image (film, animation, and video). Artistic expression in these forms will be emphasized. Students discover new areas of interest while watching carefully selected examples of films and videos. During all classes, students will view films representing different styles and periods of filmmaking. About half of the classes are devoted to contemporary films. Critical thinking will be encouraged and fostered during classroom discussions. Clear expression of these thoughts will be developed through assigned readings and weekly writing assignments. During the semester, students learn about specific artists, schools of filmmaking, genres, and fields within the history of the film, animation, and video. Students also develop a common language by learning the meaning and proper usage of a glossary of common film terms. At select classes, film artists are present to introduce and discuss their work. Other guests include improvisational musicians who accompany silent films.
Department permission is required to register for this course; this course is not available via web registration. Please contact fav@risd.edu for permission to register.
Major Requirement | BFA Film/Animation/Video